The first
and most obvious use of lights is to allow us to see what is happening on
stage. Flooding the stage with light can simply do this. If you are watching a
graduation or an awards presentation, this may be adequate—but it is not the
case in theater or concert presentations.
Directional
lighting becomes important in focusing attention on the critical area of the
stage at any given time. If you are watching a musical and someone is singing a
solo, the attention needs to stay with the singer. Often a spotlight will be
used for this but dimming all lights but those surrounding the soloist
What
is probably the most important use of lighting for stage is mood setting. If
you are having a sad moment, you don't want bright or colorful lights. The
lighting would be somber and effects may include the look of the shadows of
leaves coming through a window and onto a wall. Then it follows that this would
not work well for a comedy where brighter lights and softer colors usually work
better.
It is
important that that the lights be set correctly to achieve the desired effect. The director tells the lighting designer where the scenes are and what they
want accomplished with the lights. The designer then sets the lights. This
usually involves physically climbing a ladder and adjusting where the light is
aimed, and adding any gels or gobos needed to get the correct look. (Gels are
specially made colored transparent film and gobos are frames that produce
different shapes or patterns on stage, such as leaves.)
The
director and the lighting designer work together to make sure the lighting is
seamlessly incorporated into the production. As moods change constantly in a
production, so does the lighting and it is important to make sure there are smooth
transitions. The light operator has to make sure that a move from a dark and
gloomy bedroom to a well-lit living room is done in a way that is not even
noticed by the audience.
The
combination of all of these elements helps to bring life to the play (or a
concert). While a good performer enhances the production, so does good
lighting. It is the overall effect that gives the performance a polished look.
